These staged analytic goals are made possible by linking Census-based indicators of the social environment to the rich data resources of the ARIC Study, a bi-ethnic, community-based sample of men and women aged 45-64 years at the time of their baseline examination in 1987-1989. This cohort was re-examined every three years through January, 1999 with ascertainment of SES during childhood, early adulthood and in mid-life, health-relevant behaviors, numerous measurements of risk factors, and measures of subclinical cardiovascular disease such as carotid artery wall thickness, arterial distensibility, retinopathy, and lower extremity arterial disease. These data, as well as validated information on hospital discharge diagnoses and on cause-specific mortality accrued over 10 years of follow-up are available. Additional life course information on the members of the ARIC cohort will be collected during Year 1 of the study.